Removable flooring for elevator-shafts



REMOVABLE FLOORING FOR ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

MORRIN,

APPLICATION FILED IUNE14,I9I9.

Patented Apr. 6, 1929.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. J. MOHRIN. REMovABL'E FLoomNa FOR ELEvATon sHAFs.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I4, I9I9.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

W. J. MORRIN.

REMovALE FLOORING Fos ELEvAToR sums. l APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1919. M 1,335,849, Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

4 SHEETL-SHEET 3.

l tf) W. J. MORRIN.

REMovABLE FLOORING. FoR ELEvAToR sHAFTs.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNE414, 1919.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

4 SIETS-SHEET 4 WILLIAM J'. MORRIN, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

REMOVABLE FLOORING FOR ELEVAT'ORfSHAFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 14, '1915).L Serial No. 304,182.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, WILLIAM J. MonnIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Britain, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new 'and useful Improvement in Removable Flooring for xlllevator-Shafts, of which-the following is a description.

This invention has reference to movable flooring for elevator shafts and, particularly, has reference to mechanismby which sections of the flooring of buildings may be lowered and shifted aside for the purpose sof permitting l the passage ofelevators. More particularly my invention relates to a means by which, in'garages, for example, a section of the flooring is made movable in twoV directions at right-angles to eachother for thepurpose of raising and lowering an elevator through the space occupiedby said flooring, and whereby, when the elevatoris not in use, the section of flooring may be locked in position for ordinary traiiic.

l Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide amovable section for the floors ofbuildings which may be depressed a predetermined distance to make way for an elevator; Vto provide means by which a section of the ooring of buildings may be depressed a predetermined distance and then shifted laterally so as to provide a vshaft or passage through which an elevator may be lowered and raised; to provide means by which an elevator may be caused to actuate mechanisml for releasing a floor section whereby lthe latter may be ldepressed to vmake way 'for the elevator as the latter descends; to provide means by which an elevator may depress a floor section so as to occupy the space of said floor section, and by which, when the elevator is raised, the floor section will automatically return to its normal position; to provide means by which,

Ywhen an elevator is depressed, a movable floor section may be automatically depressed and may th en be shifted laterally and locked in shifted position whereby to provide for thepassage, in opposite directions, of a'n elevator; to provide means in a gara-ge where door space is restricted` whereby an elevator operating above the ground floor may be lowered to the ground iioor and occupy the space previouslyl occupied by a section of flooring automatically displaced upon the descent of the elevator; 'to provide a movable floo'r .section for the ground Hoor of garages, for example, which is normally 'flush with the ground Hoor, but whichr may be' displaced automatically by an elevator which, in turn, occupiesthe position of the displaced floor section so as to haveits surface .flush with the ground floor for the passage of traffic; to provide means in a buildlng of several stories, including a cellar, whereby a section of the ground floor, normally devoted to traiiic, may be displaced and the space occupied by an elevator for traffic purposes, and which flooring maybe shifted laterally to permit the descent of the elevator into the cellar, and which flooring may be subsequently returned to normal position after the elevator has been raised above the ground floor; and to provide simple, strong, 'durable and efcacious means for carrying out the foregoing objects.

' With the above objects in view and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements andy combinations thereof hereinafter described and claimed;

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, l vhave provided drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation ofy a portionof a floor of a garage or other building 'showing the installation of my invention,

including any elevator `in juxtaposition such as to illustrate the mode'of tripping the several locking mechanisms by which the movableioor section is locked in place;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation "of the'mechanism shown in'Fig. 1, the section being subt, C l order to avoid confusion;lv I

Fig. 3 isa sectional elevation showinga detail, on'an enlarged scale, of the locking and tripping mechanism actuated by the elevator' as a preliminary to the depression of Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

stantially on 'the-line .2 2 of Fig. l1, but omitting' the lower locking mechanism,v in

nism by which the movable flooring locked to the counter-Weight frame; and

Fig. 7 is a plan of tlie Winding drums and shaft carrying the same by which ithe movable flooring is shifted laterally.

Primarily, it should be understood that my invention vhas been designed kfor use in automobile garages Where the ground Hoor space is restricted, and every part of which is practically in demand at all times, and Where it is ynot feasible to have an'elevator shaft open, all o r any material part of the time. According to my invention, a movable floor section is provided for the normal or ground floor of the building, which movable floor section is always lin place and capable of sustaining trafdexcepting only when the elevator descends to take its place or to pass through the shaft in which it is located, in order to descend into the'vcellar or basement of the building` for bringing up a load. Also, according lto my invention, the movable iioor section is shifted laterally away from the shaft by a manually operateifl vmeans, for example, in order to clear the Way for the passage of the elevator, which latter, on its return, and thel return of .the

movable floor section, is caused Ato unlock the latter so that it may return to normal position, following the elevator, and 'be locked flush with the surrounding ilooring of the building. From the foregoing brief statement of objects and design ofmy i11- vention, 'the following detail description will be readily" understood-c I The numeral l indicates the normal `garage floor, in which, in a suiiiciently large space or shaft, is set the removable flooring, or section of flooring 2. The elevator is indicated by g' 4 being the cables or .lifts operated inany suitable manner. The bottom of the elevator, at its opposite ends, has rigidly secured thereto a 4tripping device 5, the upper end Vvof `which is bifurcated, Fig. a, yso as to embrace one of the longitudinal beams 6, to ivhich it .is bolted, as at ,thus being held securelyin place.V One ofthe beams of theelevator, preferably the iniddle one 6, is also provided with a"pivoted tripping device 8V adapted to be normally held out of operation alongside the beam, and adapted tobe swung aboutits pivot 9 into the dotted line position 's hovvn in Fig. l., and into engagement with stop-pin 10, the tripping device heilig operated by a lug` l1 fixedl thereto and pivotally connected to a rod l2 `the opposite' end of which is `suitably siipportedat one end of the elevator, andto which is connected a chain, or other lflexible device 1S, through the medium of which the rod may be drawn longitudinally, so as to swing the tripping device about its pivot into the dotted line position as rstated. The -two end vtripping devices operate through elongated 'slots l-l in the movable section of flooring 2, and the middle tripping device operates `through an elongated slotl in the said movable floor section.

The movable floor section is composed of a plurality of cross V beams 16 and a plurality kof longitudinal beams 1T, lall said beams being rigidly secured together' at points of ,crossing in any suitable manner, and the first said beams having the flooring rigidly secured thereto. Beneath the movable iloorrsection 2 is a Counter-Weight frame, composed .of 4longitudinal andtransverse beams 18, 19 rigidly secured together, which frame is rectangularY in form and slightly larger than the" movable floor .SGC- tion, and is mountedto travel on 'I-beams 20 rigidly secured to joists, girdeI'S 'Grohersubstantial part-21 ofthe flooring l o" the garage, by means .of anti-frictional rolls or flanged Wheels 22 mountedtorotate on axles 23 fixed in'a pair of straps or retainersll, rigidly secured to the timbers of the `conllter-Weight frame. Alternatively, 'the straps or retainers 24 .may atl'orcl`fjournal bearings for the axles 23, and the Wheels 22 maybe rigidly secured to the latter. yThe movable floor section 2 is held in the positon'shown in Fig. l with its upper surface flush with kthe normal or ground floor of the ygarage by means of counter-Weights 25, co.lnnecte"d to cables 26 passing over pulleys 27"and ,secured to pendent bars 28 rigidly secured to beams of ythe floor section 2, the pulleys being journaled in the upper ends of standards 29 bolted to the counter-Weight frame. Thus, the counter-Weight frame 'isl mounted to travel longitudinally on the I-beams v20 and the floorv section 2 is sustained by the counter-Weights Yandy cables in normal position relatively to the counter-Weight frame. In order to guide the movable vfloor section in its movement relatively to the counteriveight kframe, and to prevent it from sagging relatively to said frame, dependent guide-bars 30 are rigidly secured to the biottom ofthe floor section 2 and are of such length as to normally enter, and stand within, borings or`holes 31 in the counter- Weight frame, said rods, when the floor is depressed, operating within said`V borings', thus overcoming any tendency ofthe movable flooring `to -sag or materially vibrate relatively to the counter-Weight' frame iinder the load imposed thereon. i"

lTo hold the movable'loor section with itsl top sul face flush ivith the normal surrounding` floor, locking devices are provided, Figs. l, 2 and 3, consisting of slidable bolts 32,

.secured to the ibottom of beams vof the movable flooring and adapted to normally rest upon brackets or latch-seats-S secured te the girders or beams 34e of the normal flooring adjacent the shaft, The bolts are 'held Ito" freely slide in brackets or straps 35 cured' to the beams,"as vshown in Figs', 2 and 3, and each has pivotally connected to it one end of a connecting rod or link 36, the other end of which is connected to the depending` crank-arm 37 carried by a horizontal rockshaft 3S extending longitudinally of the movable flooring and centrally thereof, a horizontal crank-arm 39 likewise carried by the rock-shaft 38 vstanding .in position toY be engaged by the end tripping devices '5. .lach of the connecting rods 36 has attached to it a coiled spring 4:0, one end of which is connected to the rod 36, and the other end of which` is connected to a fixture, such the bea-m 17 on which thebolt slides. The crank-arms 37, 39 on the tivo shafts are set oppositely to each other and closely together, that the horizontal arms normally stand in parallelism and in position to be engaged simultaneously by the tripping devices 5, Awhich are made broad enouglrto engage both 'arms at once. As 'shovvn in the dravvings, Figs. l and il, there are four 'sets of tripping devices, one pair of rock-shafts, four sets of crank-arms, springs,rodsv and locking bolts larra.n, ,'ed as shown in Fig. t. Thus, thel movable floorseetion is rigidly secured in place by' four vlocking bolts on each of its longitudinal sides. I desire it understood, however, that my invention is Y not limited to any precise number of lock'H ing boltsl and actuating mechanisms, nor to the particular arrangement thereof shown in the drawings. Variations may be made to accord with local conditions and the size of the movable flooring, and to secure strengthand rigidity of the flooring when in place, Up toV this point, means have been deecribed whereby the movable floor section is A`ie-ld locked in a normal Working position y with its top surface flush with the surrounding vfloor surface, thus giving continuity'to thel latter and an uninterrupted traction surface in they garage. The movable'fioor ,section not only rigidly held iny position by the lfolts; but,V the counter-Weights normally tend also to hold the floor section counterbalanced. llVhen the elevator is lowered and the tripping devices engage the pairs of horiz-:ontal arms il() on the rock-shafts 3S, thespriro's 41(1) are distended with anormal rendencjv to return the horizontal arms to normal position. lVhenthe tripping de- 5 depress the pairs of horizontal armsn the rods and bolts are shiftedr'-limited by stops LtL-thus unseating the bolts and enabling the movable floor section to be depressed by engagement of the top surface thereof with the bottom surface of the elevator the descent of the floor section and elevator being simultaneous and guided by reason of the tripping devices'descending` through the apertures 1.4 in the floor section Vand the rods 30 passing through the guide. `borings 3l in' the counter-Weight frame. As the elevator and iloor section descend, the Acounter-vveights 25 arev lifted, Thus the floor section is displaced bythe ele'- vator, and automatically tripped by the latter so that it may be displaced, and the elevator takes the position of the floor section with its top surface flush with the surrounding normal floor surface of the garage or building. lifter the load has been either removed from, or placed upon, the elevator, the latter' is drawn up by the usual mecha'- vnism, followed by the lloorvsection until Vits surface is flush-With the surrounding normal iloor of the garage, under the influence of the counter-uf'eights. vThe elevator continues to rise, whereuponthe tripping devices release the horizontal arms, so that the springs attached to the connecting rods will shift said rods laterally, so as to force the bolts outwardly in position to engagethe bolt-seats.y 4Should the floor section lagrelatively tothe elevator, the arrangement is such that the elevator would release the arms and the bolts before the -floor section reaches its normal position. Hence, the continued rise of the floorv section Would cause the bolts to be retracted by the bracket-seatsuntil the latter were passed, whereupon the bolts would automatically shift and: snap into locking position,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Themechanism so far described provides for the depression of the floor` section and for the elevator taking the place of the: floor section, for traic purposes onfthe floor of the garage.`l- The floor section and counter- Weight frame, together with all mechanisms carried thereby, can also be shifted laterally under the normal floor of the garage to en able the elevator to descend tothe cellar with a load or to` get a load. To accomplish this, the mechanism'shown in Figs'. 5, 6 and 7 is provided,'consisting of a sprocket and gear .mechanism for shiftingthe movable floor section and counter-Weight frame, and .parts'carried' thereby, from the full line position to the dotted line position',4 Fig.- Said mechanism comprises a standard.V or

.suitable'support 42 erected on the 'normal floor of the garage,`infvvhich is journaled a stud-shaft carrying a gear at one end and a bevel-pinion 45 at the other end. A second bevel-pinionv 46 meshes with the first bevel-pinion and is carried by a crank shaft,

the handle 47 of which is'manually 'operated. By v'rotating the handle, the stud shaft is rotated, which, in turn operates the gear 44 meshing with asimilar gear ca rie'd by the shaft 48, suitably journaled in the upright or standard' and carryinga't its other end a sprocket Wheel 4&9v 'around which eX- tends a1 sprocketv chain 50, and `which latter extends around and drives a4 second sprocket Wheel '51, carried by a shaft 52 ournaled in any suitable position, but' preferably inthe I-beams 20, or,` blocks connected therewith, and carrying at its opposite ends Winding turn, is adjustably secured to one side of the counter-weight framing 18 of the movable Hoor section asl at 55. Another cable n 56 is secured at its end to the same drum,

and the opposite end of said cable is secured adjustably as at 57 to the counter-weight frame at its opposite side. The other drum has connected thereto in similar manner cables 58 59, the opposite ends of which are connected adjustably to the opposite sides of the counterfweight frame. Thus, by turning the crank-arm in one direction, the movable flooring and counter-weight frame, and all. parts carried thereby, can be shifted laterally into the dotted line Yposition, Fig. 5, and by turning the crank in the opposite direction, said parts can be shifted laterally in reverse direction to the full line position, Fig. 5. Before the movable ooring and counter-weight frame have been shifted laterally, the movable flooring is locked to the counter-weight frame by bolts similar to those which lock the movable flooring to the normal flooring, this locking mechanism being for the purpose of preventing the movable flooring, after being` shifted laterally, from rising relatively to the counter-weight frame into engagement with the beams" or bottom of ythe normal flooring.

The locking mechanism consists of the horizontal crank-arms 60 carried by the rock-shaft 61 in turn having the depending arms 62 pivotallyconnected by rods 68 tothe locking bolts 64. Springs control the rods 63 and have one end connected thereto, and the other end connected to a ture of the counterweight framing, and the locking bolts 64 are carried by straps or brackets 64 on the bar 18 of the counterweight framing. As the elevator descends, the tripping device 8, shifted into dotted line position Fig. 1, at the proper time, passes through the aperture 15, engages the pair of arms 60, and shifts the bolts. 64 inwardly thus releasing the movable flooring from the counterweight framing. The bolts are automatically shifted inwardly when the movable flooring descends, since the locking brackets 66 are beveled on their underside so that the brackets engage and shift the bolts which automatically snap into locking position shown in Fig. 6; but, the elevator must be employed to depress the floor section preparatory to locking the same to the counterweight frame, so that the two may be shifted laterally together. Prior to shifting the movable flooring and counterweight frame laterally, the elevator is raised a short distance to remove the several tripping` devices from the slots in the movable floor section, so that the latter can .shift the bolts 64 from their seats.

be shifted laterally by the mechanism already described. Thus the elevator shaft is cleared and the elevator may descend into the basement without interference from the movable Vfloor section and its counterweight frame. After getting or delivering its load, the elevator may be raised to a position such that its tripping devices cannot be engaged by the movable floor section when the latter is shifted back to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5. Then the elevator is caused to ydescend again, so that the central tripping device, brought into position at this time as above described, may depress the horizontal arms 60 and thus Thus, the movable floor section may rise with the elevator, as the latter rises, and, as the elevator leaves the movable floor section, the locking bolts of the latter will snap into place and thus hold the floor section rigidly in position for traflic with its top surface flush with the surrounding normal garage Hoor surface. The shafts 61 may be journaled in bearings 67 mounted on the framing 18, and the bolts 64 may be mounted to slide on blocks 68 on said framing.

The cables 54 and 58 may be passed about pulleys F4a suitably mounted on brackets fixed to the iooring or joists thereof, this being merely a convenient disposition of the long lengths of cables 54, 58 to control their slack. The locking mechanism carried b v the counterweight frame, and which cooperates with the movable floor section to hold the same depressed preparatory to shifting the same laterally, is extended on the said counter-weight frame at a rightangle to the locking devicesv carried by the movable floor section, and which coperates with the adjacent walls of the shaft in vthe garage Hoor to lock the movable flooring Hush with the garage Hoor. This is clearly shownv in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be seen that 1 have provided a simple, strong and effective means by which a garage Hoor section can be automatically depressed to make way for positioning the elevator, for loading and unloading, and shifting laterally the floor section so as to clear the shaft for the further descent of the elevator to a cellar or sub-cellar to receive or deliver a load.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with the ooring of a building used for traffic, a movable ioor section capable of sustaining such traffic and movable to a limited extent to a position just below said ooring; mechanism for locking the movable Hoor section flush with the building flooring; means for tripping said locking mechanism; and means for de v extent stated to make way for an elevator.

2. In combination with the flooring of a building used for traffic, a movable floor section capable of sustaining such traiiic and movable to a limited extent to a positionI just below said iooring; mechanism for locking the movable floor section flush with the building flooring; an elevator mounted to operate above the movable floor section; and means carried by the elevator for tripping the locking mechanism whereby the wfloor section may be depressed to the extent stated to make way for the elevator.

3. In combination with the flooring of a building used for traiic, a movable floor section capable of sustaining such traffic; counterbalancing means for holding the ioor section flush with the flooring; mechanism for locking the floor section in position; and means for tripping the locking mechanism whereby the ioor section may be depressed to make way for an elevator.

4. In combination with the flooring of a building used for traffic, a movable floor section capable of sustaining such traffic and movable to a limited extent to a position just below said flooring; locking mechanism for holding thefloor section flushv with the flooring; an elevator mounted to operate above the floor section; and tripping means carried by the elevator for trippingV the locking mechanism, saidtripping means operating upon the descent of the elevator whereby the latter, when the locking mechanism is tripped, may depress the floor section to the extent stated and cccupy the position of the latter with its surface flush with the flooring.

5. In combination with the flooring of a building, a movable floor section; mechanism for locking the floor section flush with the flooring; tripping means for tripping the locking mechanism whereby the floor section may be depressed; means for shifting the floor section laterally; and means for locking the floor section depressed preparatory to shifting the same laterally.

6. In combination with the fiooring of building having an elevator shaft therein, a movable floor section set within the elevator shaft; means for locking the floor section in said shaft; means forptripping the locking mechanism whereby the fioor section may be depressed in said shaft; and means for shifting the floor section laterally whereby to clear said shaft.

7. In combination with the flooring of a building having an elevator shaft, a movable Hoor section located in said shaft; mechanism for locking the floor section in said shaft; an elevator operating above the floor section; means for tripping the locking mechanism whereby the flooring may be depressed as the elevator descends into the shaft; and means for shifting the floor section laterally to clear the shaft for the passage of the elevator.

8. In combination with the flooring of a building having` an elevator shaft, a movable floor section; locking mechanism mounted on the bottom of said fioor section to lockl the latter in the shaft with its surface flush with the flooring; an elevator operating` above the floor section; tripping means carried by the elevator for tripping the locking mechanism as the elevator descends, whereby, during the" descent of the elevator, the fioor section may be depressed; means whereby, as the floor section is depressed by the elevator, the floor section may be locked depressed; and means for shifting the floor section'laterally after it has been locked in depressed position. I

9. In combination with the flooring of a building having an elevator shaft, afmovable floor section set within the shaft; a counterweight frame movably mounted below the ficor section; means between the counterweight frame and the floor section for raising the latter to its normal position; vmechanism for locking the floor section in normal. position with its surface flush with the flooring; means for tripping the locking mechanism whereby the floor section may be pressed; and means for moving the counter.- weight frame and floor section so as-to clear the shaft.

l0. In combination with the flooring of a building having an elevator shaft; a movable floor section set within the shaft; a counter-weight frame beneath the' floor section; connections between the frame and ioor section for holding the latter in normal position; means between the floor section and counter-weight frame for guiding the one on the other; locking mechanismV for holding the floor section in. normal position with its surface flush with the flooring; and means for tripping the locking mechanism so that the floor section may be depressed to make way for the passage of'an elevator.

1l. In combination with the flooring of a building having a shaft, a movable floor section set withinsaid shaft; mechanism for lockingl the floor section with its surface flush with the surface of the flooring; a counter-weight frame;`means whereby the floor section and counter-weight frame may be moved relatively; locking means for lock-- ing the floor section to the counter-weight frame; an elevator operating above the floor section; and means carried by the elevator for tripping both the locking mechanism and the locking means whereby the floor section may be depressed and also unlocked from the counter-weight frame.

12. In combination, a depressible platform.

13. In combination with a depressible platform, mechanism for locking the same in a normal position; means whereby the platform may be locked depressed; an elevator working above the platform; and means carried by the elevator whereby, as the latter is lowered, the locking mechanism of the platform may be tripped so that the platformL may be depressed and the locking means may be actuated to lock the platform in depressed position.

14. vIn combination with a flooring used for traffic, a depressible platform working in the flooring capable of sustaining such traflic and movable to a limited extent to a position just below said flooring; a plurality of spring controlled bolts carried by the platform for locking the same to the flooring with the two surfaces flush; an elevator working above the platform; means carried by the elevator and adapted to extend through the platform whereby to trip the bolts as the elevator is lowered` so that the latter may depress the platform to the extent stated.

15. In combination with the flooring of a building having an elevator shaft therein, a counter-weight frame movably mounted below the flooring and surrounding the shaft; a floor section set within the shaft; counterweight mechanism between the, frame and floor section for holding the latter normally in the shaft; locking mechanism for locking the iioor section in the shaft with its surface flush with the surface of the flooring; locking means carried by the counter-weight frame for locking the latter and the` floor section together; an elevator operating abovey the floor section; tripping means carried by the elevator for tripping the locking mechanism; andV a shiftable tripping means carried by the elevator for tripping the locking means, whereby, when the locking mechanism is tripped, the floor section may be depressed', and, when the locking means is tripped, the floor section and counterweight frame may be unlocked together and shifted laterally, if desired.

1 6. In combination with a depressiblc platform, mechanism for locking the same in a normal position; means whereby the platform may be shifted laterally; means whereby the platform may be locked in a predetermined position before being shifted laterally; an elevator working above the platform; and means carried by the elevator whereby, as the latter is lowered, the locking mechanism-of the platform may be tripped so that the platform may be depressed and the locking means may be actuated to lock the platform in depressed position preparatory to being shifted laterallv.

17. In combination with a depressible platform, mechanism for locking the same in anormal position; means whereby the platform may be depressed toy a limited extent or to a position just below its normal surroundings; means whereby the platform may be locked in depressed position; and means for. shifting the platform laterally while in depressed position.

18. In combination with a depressible platform, mechanism for locking the same in normal position; means for: tripping the locking mechanism s o that the platform may be depressed; means for shifting the platform laterally after it has been depressed; said means being capable of returning the platform to a position where it mayv be raised to its normal position and` means whereby the platform may. be raised to its normal positionand locked therein.

19. In combination with a depressible' Hoor section and mechanism. for lonclfmg the same in normal position; an elevator working above. said depressi'ble. floor section` and having means for tripping ythe looking mechanism so that it may depress the floor section; means for locking the floor` sectiony upon reaching a predetermined level; means for shifting the floor section laterally at such level whereby the elevator is enabled to pass the same and descend through the shaft; and means carried by the elevator for tripping the locking means whereby the floor section may be. returned tonormall position.

wiLLLAM J. Monnin; 

